Looking at the history he is changing, Zhang Mingwei is actually satisfied.
No, even the Ming Dynasty Spring Festival Gala was held, and it was only the second time. It was still very fulfilling.
He was definitely someone who must attend. Seeing that the time was almost up, he went out again, preparing to go to the newly built theater to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
However, as soon as Zhang Mingwei went out, he saw a large group of people, including men, women, old and young, rushing over.
Upon seeing this, the guard in Jinyi immediately stepped forward to scold him and became alert at the same time.
However, these men, women, and children all knelt down at once, and the middle-aged man at the head shouted loudly to Zhang Mingwei: "My benefactor, happy New Year!"
The men, women, and children behind him all shouted together: "My benefactor, happy New Year!"
Upon seeing this situation, Liu Jin and others were puzzled. What's happening here?
Looking at the leader, he vaguely seemed to have seen him somewhere, but he couldn't remember it for a while.
Zhang Mingwei also saw clearly the leader. His memory was super strong, but he remembered it immediately. He immediately drove his horse forward and said with a smile: "Why are you kneeling for the New Year? Get up and talk!"
After he finished speaking, the kneeling group kowtowed respectfully three times before standing up.
Zhang Mingwei did not get off his horse to help him because he could see the determination of this group of people and their quick movements. Even if he went to help him, it would be too late.
So, when they had stood up, he asked kindly: "What, the debt is paid in full?"
When the leader heard this, he immediately knew that the Duke actually remembered him, and he was even more moved. He quickly and respectfully replied: "It's all thanks to the Duke. With the note approved by the Duke, ordinary people went there. Overseas, I not only paid off my debts, but also made a lot of money. Otherwise...otherwise, I don’t know whether ordinary people would be able to survive this year!"
It turns out that the large family in front of him is the cloth merchant Zhang Mingwei met during the Chinese New Year last year, named Liu Mindong.
Zhang Mingwei gave him advice and asked him to sell cloth overseas, and gave him a note so that no one in the Ming Dynasty dared to charge him extra taxes. There was also the one who lent him money, free of interest, and took advantage of him to go to sea together, and ended up making a lot of money.
At this time, Zhang Mingwei was of course happy when he heard what he said. He saved a whole family, did a good deed, had a good result, and felt happy in his heart!
So, he asked Liu Mindong: "How was it going overseas?"
"What the Duke said!" When Liu Mindong heard this, he naturally knew everything he wanted to say, and quickly and respectfully replied, "Our silk, tea, porcelain, etc. from the Ming Dynasty are becoming cheaper than before and have been shipped overseas. , the price hasn’t completely dropped yet, and we are making more money than before. Many people are following us to do business overseas, and as long as Lord Dragon doesn’t show off his power, they will all make a lot of money!”
In the Ming Dynasty, because Zhang Mingwei invented the spinning jenny, the flying shuttle, and even the steam engine in advance, the output of the Ming Dynasty's products greatly increased. Naturally, domestic prices have plummeted.
Although the people of Ming Dynasty benefited from this, it was much cheaper to buy these things. But if prices fall sharply, producers and sellers will suffer losses. Fortunately, these products can be sold overseas, so they actually make more money than in previous years.
It can be said that in the Ming Dynasty, as a whole, not many people thought that productivity had improved, but it had become worse than before, just because there were overseas markets that could handle the extra products produced.
Hearing Liu Mindong's description, Zhang Mingwei was also happy in his heart. This is great. He can make money from overseas people and create a virtuous cycle in Ming Dynasty. This is the best!
So, he encouraged Liu Mindong and then went to attend the Spring Festival Gala.
Liu Mindong came not only to kowtow, but also brought a lot of gifts, many of which were collected from overseas. Obviously, he was preparing carefully when he was overseas.
It is said that Zhang Mingwei is the benefactor of his family. No matter what, he must be grateful.
Many of these gifts have never been seen by even Zhang Mingwei, and they are probably even more strange to Zhu Yuyao and Chen Yuanyuan. So, without refusing, he asked someone to collect it, and at the same time, he also recorded the businessman named Liu Mindong.
No matter what, this is a person who knows how to be grateful. Of course, he is also a person who knows how to discern.
After Zhang Mingwei accepted the gift, Liu Mindong's family said goodbye happily.
He had decided in his heart that he would send gifts to the Duke's mansion every year before others had this excuse.
This New Year's Eve, here in the capital, everyone from top to bottom is celebrating the New Year happily, just because the days are getting better year by year.
………………
However, in Shengjing, Liaodong, there was no such joyous atmosphere as the capital of Ming Dynasty.
In the past year, every household has had relatives and friends die without telling them, and life has become increasingly sad. How can we be happy?
In the Battle of Jinzhou, more than 20,000 people died. In the war in Korea, Zhenjiang Fort, and Jinzhou and Fuzhou were invaded and harassed by the Dongjiang Army of the Ming Dynasty. In total, about 10,000 people died.
The Qing Dynasty only had such a small number of people, so how could it withstand the death of so many people, almost every household had a share, who would be happy!
And the unhappy things are far more than that!
The regent made a decision and gave up the coastal areas, which were full of grain fields, from Gaizhou to Fuzhou to Jinzhou, and even gave up a lot along the Yalu River. In short, as long as the ships of the Ming Navy could reach, they had to abandon dozens of miles. I don’t know how much damage has been done to this grain field!
The people who moved back inland also squeezed out the interests of the inland side. Even if no one died in the family, the interests were still damaged. Who can be happy!
It can be said that there have been no good things in the Qing Dynasty this year. They are not sure what the situation will be like next year and the future, and they are a little anxious!
Regarding this situation, Dorgon comforted them and said: "After the coastal retreat, the Ming navy will no longer have any use. We, the Qing Dynasty, will no longer have to suffer raids from the Ming army. The situation is considered stable. From now on, Our days in the Qing Dynasty will still get better and better!"
In fact, no one could have imagined that the Ming army would conduct mobile operations through the Yalu River. Unknowingly, the Ming army even sent more troops to Dongjiang Town, so that Zhenjiang Fort was destroyed by the Ming army.
Hong Chengchou was gone, but Jianlu didn't actually care much. What they care about is that people along the Yalu River have to move inland, and why the Ming army has so many troops?
At this time, every Jianlu felt the hugeness of the Ming Kingdom and the strength of the Ming Kingdom's national power!
Although the Qing Dynasty has moved inward, they are not sure how the Ming Dynasty will use its troops against the Qing Dynasty next year.
Not to mention anything else, when the Qing Dynasty's national power was severely depleted, as far as they knew, the Ming Army at Shanhaiguan had 50,000 troops, and the Dongjiang Army had almost 20,000 troops, which were almost catching up with the Qing Dynasty. All combat power.
If the Ming Dynasty concentrated all its efforts to attack again, no one would be as naive as before, thinking that the Qing Dynasty would definitely win without a fight.
Dorgon said this, and when he saw the faces of these highest-level people in the Qing Dynasty, he knew what they were worried about.
If they are like this, it is even worse for ordinary people in the Qing Dynasty.
This situation has never happened before and cannot happen again. The spirit must be lifted up.
So Dorgon said to them again: "Think about it, at least our life will not be difficult this winter. Also, we have opened up a large number of grain fields in the north, and I believe there will be no shortage of food in the future. As long as we With food and no danger of being attacked by the Ming army, in an upright battle, who did the Qing Dynasty fear?"
Having said this, he paused, raised his voice, and said decisively: "Next year, our Qing Dynasty will definitely be better off than this year! With food and grass, we can exert the combat power that our Qing Dynasty should have, and we will definitely be able to win Victory in the war!"
Prince Baylor, the other Jianlu prince, felt a little disapproving when he heard this.
It’s true, this winter has been less difficult than in previous years. But the biggest reason is not because of how many grain fields have been opened up, but because the population has shrunk too much and there are fewer mouths to eat, so the food shortage is naturally no longer there!
As for fighting the Ming army openly, the Qing Dynasty is willing to do so, but will the Ming army be willing? In the past few years, they have been carrying out raids, and they still fight and run away without even taking the city. It is obvious that they do not want to fight openly and openly like before!
But even though they thought so, they also knew that they had to cheer up.
So Daishan took the lead and nodded in agreement. Together, these Jianlu created a cheerful atmosphere and pretended that things would be better next year.
………………
There is one thing that Jianlu did not expect. It is true that the Ming Dynasty is rich in resources. Correspondingly, there will be many things in the Ming Dynasty.
No, far away on the southeastern coast of Ming Dynasty, just off the coast of Zhangzhou Prefecture in Fujian, there is a fleet coming here.
Everyone can see clearly at a glance that the warships in this fleet are not the Ming Dynasty's lucky ships at all, but the sailing warships of the Western Yi. There are ten ships in total.
Although as far as the Ming Dynasty was concerned, there were only ten warships, which was a bit small. However, for those who are familiar with Xiyi, ten sailing warships are definitely a lot.
On the flagship at the front, a group of Westerners stood there, and there were a few people dressed as Orientals, talking there.
"If the news is wrong, I will definitely be tried by Batavia, but you will definitely not survive!" The leader of the Xiyi spoke Ming Dynasty Mandarin. Although the accent was a bit strange, he still spoke very clearly. .
The Oriental man standing next to him immediately nodded and bowed and said: "Don't worry, Lord Governor, the news is absolutely true. The current Fujian Navy is led by the hairless Zheng Fusong, and the Zheng Zhibao who originally helped him has already left! "
